1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording/reproduction unit for use in a library apparatus which stores a large number of cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical disk cartridges, where the unit performs processing such as write/read of recording/recorded data on/from a storage medium accommodated in the cartridge transferred through a transferring mechanism and inserted thereinto, and more particularly relates to a cartridge insertion/discharge opening structure of the recording/reproduction unit, and a library apparatus including this cartridge insertion/discharge opening structure.
2) Description of the Related Art
In general, a library apparatus functions as a large-capacity external storage memory, and a storage rack in its locker stores several thousand of cartridges each accommodating, for example, a magnetic tape as a storage medium, and access such as write/read of recording/recorded data is automatically done toward the storage medium within each of the cartridges.
Furthermore, in addition to the aforesaid storage rack (storage unit) for storing cartridges, the library apparatus is equipped with a station for conducting the entry of a cartridge from the exterior into the apparatus and the exit of the cartridge from the interior of the apparatus to the exterior, a plurality of magnetic tape decks (recording/reproduction units; which will be referred hereinafter to as decks) for conducting access such as write/read of recording/recorded data with respect to a storage medium (magnetic tape) within a cartridge, and an accessor robot (transferring mechanism; which will be referred hereinafter to as an accessor) for performing the conveyance of the cartridges among the cartridge entry/exit station, the storage rack and the decks.
In such a library apparatus, in response to an access request to one cartridge from a host unit or the like, the accessor travels toward the storage rack to search a directing cartridge there, and subsequently, a hand mechanism grips that cartridge and transfers it to the deck for insertion into the deck. With these operations, in that deck, given processing is done with respect to the storage medium (magnetic tape) within the inserted cartridge. After the completion of the processing, the cartridge discharged or ejected from the deck is again gripped by the hand mechanism and conveyed by the accessor up to the storage rack to be stored at a given position.
In a prior library apparatus, a dedicated cartridge delivering and receiving mechanism is installed in each of the decks so that the insertion of the cartridge into the deck or the extraction (pulling-out) of the cartridge from the deck is carried out through the cartridge delivering and receiving mechanism. In this case, the accessor is not designed to directly carry out the insertion/extraction of the cartridge into/from the deck.
In the case that the cartridge delivering and receiving mechanism is provided at every deck, the mounting space enlarges within the library apparatus and the system gets complicated. For this reason, a requirement has arisen for omitting the cartridge delivering and receiving mechanism and for allowing the accessor to directly carry out the insertion/extraction of a cartridge into/from a deck without the intervention of the cartridge delivering and receiving mechanism so that the reduction of the mounting space and the simplification of the system are realizable.